Pakistan closes airspace to Indian airlines
(MENAFN) Pakistan has shut its airspace to all Indian airlines and halted trade with India, effective immediately, following a National Security Committee meeting in Islamabad on Thursday. This move comes in retaliation to India downgrading diplomatic relations and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the usage of the shared Indus River system.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif condemned India’s suspension of the treaty, calling it a violation and warning that any attempt to disrupt the water flow would be treated as an "Act of War," to which Pakistan would respond decisively. He also emphasized that the treaty has no provision for unilateral suspension.
In addition to closing airspace to Indian airlines, Pakistan has suspended all trade with India, including shipments through Pakistan to third countries. The country has also cancelled visas for Indian nationals issued under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and ordered Indian nationals to leave Pakistan within 48 hours, excluding Sikh pilgrims.
Pakistan has declared Indian defense, naval, and air advisers in Islamabad as persona non grata and ordered a reduction of Indian diplomatic staff at the Indian High Commission in Pakistan to just 30 members, effective April 30.
These actions mirror India’s retaliatory measures taken earlier in the week. The diplomatic standoff follows a deadly attack in Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, and injured many others. The Resistance Front, an insurgent group believed to have links with the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
India has stated that its measures will remain until Pakistan stops supporting cross-border terrorism. Pakistan, however, denied any involvement in the Kashmir attack, accusing India of oppressing the Muslim-majority population in the region. It also criticized India’s attempts to link Pakistan to the violence, calling the allegations unfounded.
The Kashmir conflict, a longstanding issue between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, remains a contentious and volatile subject, with both countries accusing each other of fostering violence and human rights abuses in the disputed region.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
